


Stay Out of the Rain

by Liebelit



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 20:39:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14144115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liebelit/pseuds/Liebelit
Summary: Cain would have been lying if he didn't admit that he had imagined what it would have been like if they had chosen to stick together; to make those two lonely homes into just one.That was probably why he had set up his new workspace on a street that was much closer to Glitch's place than his own, and why he was walking there now.





	Stay Out of the Rain

Once he finally got out of his workshop late in the afternoon, Cain considered taking a cab home and ending the day like he always did; following the same routine of eating alone, sleeping alone, and waking up alone.

But for some reason he started walking instead, tired but driven, and it was only after he automatically turned a familiar corner that he realized he was heading to Glitch's apartment. 

After the eclipse, both he and Glitch had been offered to stay at the palace for as long as they wanted, and they had for a while. But once Glitch had recovered from his rebrainment surgery and once Cain had helped as much as he could as a former tin man, they had both chosen to move away. Not too far away though, since both of them spent more time at the palace with the royal family, particularly the princesses, than not. But all while having their own homes in the city. Though Cain would have been lying if he didn't admit that he had imagined what it would have been like if they had chosen to stick together; to make those two lonely homes into just one. 

That was probably why he had set up his new workspace on a street that was much closer to Glitch's place than his own, and why he was walking there now.

At a regular pace it was roughly a twenty minute walk, one that was usually slow and tranquil, but Cain was only halfway there when a sudden rainstorm caught him by surprise. 

Without an umbrella or any cabs around, all he could do was briskly turn up the collar of his coat and quicken the pace. 

Cain walked the remaining distance with his fists in his pockets and his head hung low, thankfully covered by his hat. But despite his best efforts, by the time he reached the building he was soaked through and could feel the chill of the rain all the way down in his bones. 

Pressing the button next to Glitch's name as if it was a lifeline, Cain leaned against the wall and spoke into the speakerphone. "Glitch?" He said, hating how shaky his voice sounded, "Are you there, sweetheart? Could you let me up, please?" 

" _Cain! What are you doing here? Come up, come up, co—_ "

"Glitch,"

" _Thanks. Come up,_ " he repeated one last time, sounding concerned, " _I'll meet you at the stairs._ "  
In no time he was buzzed in, and after that the trek up the stairs was so short and forgettable that before he knew it he was wrapped in Glitch's arms, getting scolded by the smartest man in the OZ as they huddled into his apartment.

"What did you think you were doing out there in this storm?" Glitch yelled from somewhere in his room, having dumped Cain in the couch as soon as they had entered, taken off his hat and coat, and gone in a frantic search for towels. "Are you insane?!"

Meanwhile Cain just sat there quietly in the familiar warm couch and let the all the admonishments go in one ear and out the other, taking comfort in just hearing Glitch's voice. But he couldn't hold back a raspy laugh when Glitch came back with a mound of towels and clothes and blankets so bulky that it hid half of his body.

"What's so funny?" He demanded as he sat on the couch next to him, "You're shivering, Cain. Were you _trying_ to catch hypothermia again?"

"I was just walking over here and it started pouring rain out of nowhere." He murmured as he let himself be covered in towels, only now noticing how he was cold and trembling. 

"Well, let that be a lesson to carry an umbrella next time?" Glitch chided, his tone sharp even as he gently wiped Cain's face and neck, "Now you'll have to take off your clothes so you can get dry and warmed up."

Cain shook his head, "You're exaggerating. I'll be fine."

"Oh no, I don't think so," Glitch narrowed his eyes, looking at him skeptically while he tried his best not to shiver, "Cold water plus staying in cold wet clothes is not good. And besides, it's not like I haven't seen you naked before."

At that last unexpected part Glitch's whole expression changed and his cheeks flushed red as he looked away, digging through the heap of cloth to avoid Cain's gaze. 

"Try these," he said softly, handing him some clothes without meeting his eyes, "They're a bit large for me so they might fit you." 

The shivering seemed to be decreasing by now, but Cain figured there was no point in staying in drenched clothes if Glitch was being nice, and worried, enough to offer him some dry ones; so he took them, and started undressing when Glitch turned around in either an effort to get his blush under control or to give Cain some semblance of privacy or both.

"I can leave to the other room if you want..." 

"No, this is okay." He said honestly as he chucked off the cold pieces of clothing, "I just didn't know you remembered that. I thought you still had trouble remembering...the details of that day."

"Well I did last time you asked me. But yeah, I remembered."

Cain patted Glitch's shoulder once he was done changing, and this time when the former headcase turned around he met his eyes with a warm smile.

"There are still some clearly misfiring synapses in the old noggin but if the price for my memories is some palilalia then I'll take it." He shifted closer to Cain and put a hand on his cheek, "I remembered how I felt, while I was trying to warm you up. How scared I was when you were almost freezing to death and how immensely relieving it was that I could keep you away from that brink and that you were back to being your bitter cynic self right away," he laughed affectionately, "And I never thought I'd say this but I miss having that around. Not your bitter cynicism precisely, just you. So no more running around in the rain trying to catch hypothermia, okay?" 

"Okay," Cain said as he took Glitch's hand from his cheek and kissed it, "I have to admit my bitter cynicism's gone down a little since meeting you, but I still think someone needs to keep your wide eyed optimism in check."

Glitch grinned in recognition of the words and draped a warm blanket over his shoulders. "Then join me for dinner and stay the night." 

"But what would you say if I wanted to stay more than just one night?" Cain asked tentatively,

Glitch stared at him for a long moment with wide eyes, "Are you asking me what I think you're asking me?"

"I don't know," he answered, still hesitant but oddly hopeful, "Right now, I'm asking what you think about that. What if I wanted to stay longer than the night?"

"Well, if you did..." Glitch said as he snuggled close to Cain under the warm blankets, "I think I'd like that."

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2015. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
